


on the way home

by fallfrovmgrace



Series: i love you (kaylor one shots) [8]
Category: Taylor Swift (Musician)
Genre: F/F, just a road trip one shot where i even mention dianna
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 11:02:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18134906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallfrovmgrace/pseuds/fallfrovmgrace
Summary: She had told herself that after Dianna, a love that had burned bright red since the very beginning, she would never fall in love again. Especially with someone that would mean the whole world to her.But, here she was,falling in love with Karlie and having no strings to hold her back from her inevitable downfall.The Kaylor road trip au no one asked for.





	on the way home

The shiny stars above her head were covered by huge dark clouds, letting a slightly chilly breeze caress the top of each New York City's skyscraper in this cold night of November. Taylor hugged her bare forearms, having forgotten her flimsy sweatshirt in her bodyguard's car, who was currently coming to get her. The only thing that kept her warm right now was her long dirty blonde hair, but they only covered the upper part of her chest, which was also protected by her crossed thin arms.

An exhausted sigh escaped her lips; at least there were no paparazzi and it wasn't raining yet. She wished she had called David sooner, that way her bodyguard could have already been here, waiting for her instead of the other way round. She also wished she had told her friend Lily to stay with her, since the model was the only girl she knew within all the Victoria's Secret models.

The rehearsals had been draining, but at least they didn't have to film the show until that Wednesday, which would be the thirteenth of November. However, she wasn't too worried about the show right now due to her cold hands tucked underneath her quivering arms.

Picking out the phone from the back pocket of her jeans, Taylor checked the time. Half past eleven. Another annoyed sigh was out of her mouth, as she wondered when her bodyguard would get here. As she stood outside of the building where the rehearsals for the show had taken place, she began to panic, because _what_ if someone kidnapped her? She was still one of the most famous singers in the world, and she was currently alone, standing in front of a deserted road, which was a first since she was in New York, the city that supposedly never sleeps.

"You'll freeze yourself to death if you stay out here for much longer."

The voice, although gentle and sweet, startled her. She jumped a little, turning around to face the stranger with a horrified look on her face. She calmed down a little when she saw that it was a woman, a gorgeous one if she had to admit, who was currently wearing a pink Victoria's Secret shirt underneath a simple black sweatshirt. Her brunette hair brushed against her shoulders since they were so short, but the singer had to admit that it suited the model perfectly.

"Jesus, you scared me!" Taylor exclaimed, a dramatic pitch to her voice as she let out a steady breath to calm down her racing heart.

"Who did you think I was?" the tall girl laughed wholeheartedly, now standing beside the still frightened singer.

"I don't know, maybe a kidnapper?" Taylor said dryly, shrugging her shoulders. The model by her side chuckled, shaking her head slightly. In that moment, when a settling silence fell upon the two, Taylor got a better look at the young girl. Her eyes were an hypnotizing green, with some hints of jade in the depths of her irises. Her lips were thin, almost disappearing when they stretched into a bright smile, revealing perfectly shaped pearly white teeth. Her cheekbones were as sharp as knifes, and her button nose was the cutest nose the singer had ever seen. _What?_ Taylor cringed a little at the analysis she had just done of this perfect stranger, but she couldn't help it. The model was definitely gorgeous.

"What are you doing out here all alone, though?" the tall girl asked at some point, turning her head in order to look directly into Taylor's ocean blue eyes. The singer slightly stumbled upon her words when seeing the model's eyes up close for the first time.

"I'm waiting for David. My bodyguard. Yeah, I'm waiting for him," she stuttered, averting her gaze from the girl's hard one. "What about you?"

"I'm actually going home, but no way I'm leaving you here alone. I will get going as soon as you get in your bodyguard's car," there's a sense of finality in her words, and Taylor was caught off guard by the statement. She didn't expect her to stay, since they were actually strangers.

"You don't need to do that," the singer replied, however not sounding completely sure of her words.

"Don't even try to fight me on this. I'm staying here with you," the model insisted. Taylor pursed her lips so as to fight back a smile, blushing slightly at the model's confident words.

"Oh, by the way, I'm Karlie," the tall young girl introduced herself, extending her arm out to shake hands with the singer. "I didn't expect to meet you because you're, like, my favorite singer at the moment, and," Karlie paused, scratching the back of her head nervously. This was the first time Taylor had seen her so anxious, since she had seemed so confident just mere moments before.

"I don't need to introduce myself, then, since you know who I am," Taylor teased, taking the offered hand and squeezing it lightly. "Thank you, by the way. Quick question. What's your favorite song of mine?"

"Love story," Karlie replied readily and as fast as possible, as though she knew Taylor would have asked such a predictable question.

The singer blushed. "Good choice," she mumbled, not knowing what to say to the other girl.

"When Lily told me that you were one of the Victoria's Secret guests, I didn't believe her. Now I do," Karlie chuckled, rubbing her foot against the cement of the sidewalk.

"Wait, you know Lily? Lily Aldridge?" Taylor asked, bewildered.

"Yeah, she's my friend," the model replied with furrowed brows.

"Wow," Taylor giggled. "The world is so small. She's my friend, too,"

"How come we share a friend but we have never met before?" Karlie said dryly. They share a wholehearted laugh, the model making Taylor forget about her shivering body due to the cold. There's a deep silence, where the both of them stare at different parts of the clouded sky, until the blonde shakily exhaled and furiously rubbed her hands up and down her cold arms. "Wait, are you cold?" Karlie asked worriedly.

"Don't worry," Taylor smiled weakly, her teeth chattering slightly.

"Take this," Karlie said, handing her own sweatshirt to the singer, who hadn't even noticed her taking it off.

"What? No! You'll get cold," Taylor reasoned, but the model insisted, pushing the clothing against the older girl while raising her brows. "Fine," she gave up, and took the offered sweatshirt from Karlie, who was wearing a winning smile. Even though she didn't say it out loud, she appreciated the gesture with every single cell within her body, slipping her arms through the sleeves of the clothing, which were too long for her. "Thank you, Karlie,"

Just when they looked at each other, a black SUV pulled up at the opposite sidewalk; it was her bodyguard.

"I guess you have to go," Karlie said, sounding almost sad about it. Taylor nodded and just as she was crossing the street, the model called out her name. "It was nice meeting you!"

"It was nice meeting you, too," Taylor smiled, waving at the girl. "I'll see you on Wednesday!" she exclaimed, waving at the girl before happily getting inside the car.

"Sorry for the delay, Miss Swift," David apologized, starting the engine seconds later.

As Taylor looked out the window, she could still see the model standing mindlessly in the middle of the empty sidewalk, staring at her even though the car's windows were tinted. A light blush covered her cheeks as she replied, "Don't worry about it. I didn't even notice it."  
  
  


**4 months later, March 2014**

  
With her attentive stare focused on the infinite dotted street, she kept one hand on the steering wheel while the other held onto her best friend's, who was sleeping soundly beside her, seated on the passenger seat with her back slightly curved. She frowned, sending away the yawn that wanted to take over her face, and glanced at the model. Her features were more relaxed than the ocean they were currently running along, her slightly arched lips reminded her of a boy's frown whose favorite cookies had been taken away. Her brown hair barely brushed against her shoulders covered by the grey sweatshirt that the singer had lent her, and she couldn't help but smile at the sight. Before leaving, Karlie had literally begged her to give her the clothing, because over the last few months she had become attached to it. Taylor sighed, thinking about how much her life had changed over the past four months because of just one single person. The end of November had marked the start of an indissoluble bond between the two girls, however the singer didn't really consider her like a simple friend.

For her, Karlie was all that she feared and yearned all at the same time. Karlie was an hurricane but at the same time she was the calm after the storm.

For Taylor, having these conflicting feelings for her best friend was like having an internal war that was never going to stop. When a part of her subconscious would tell her to take a step forward, something unexpected would happen and then her rational part would suddenly take four steps backwards. It felt like running against the wind, fighting the sandstorm of her confused but intense and real feelings.

The singer tightened her hold around the steering wheel and lowered the volume of the radio until it became a background sound.

"Are we there yet?" Karlie's hoarse and incredibly fascinating voice filled the space between the two girls and Taylor held back a shudder.

"No, not yet," she replied at first. "Did I wake you up?" she asked while Karlie stretched. Their hands separated, and Taylor frowned at the loss of contact.

"No, I was already awake, but I enjoyed the quietness," smiled the model, looking out the window. "How much longer?"

"The first motel of this road trip is distant almost two miles from here, therefore we'll get there within fifteen minutes," she replied firmly. They spent that lapse of time in silence, one thinking about how adorable the other girl seated beside her looked while the other was too busy admiring the sunset outside the window to properly notice the adoring stare sent her way.

Arrived at their destination, Taylor parked the car a few meters away from the entrance of the small motel. They got out, took their respective bags and headed towards the reception of the place. They asked if they still got an empty room for two and, fortunately, the man on the other side of the counter replied by giving them the key to the room number fifteen. The motel was rather calm and peaceful, housing just a few tourists since it was just the beginning of March.

The singer was the one to open the door, slowly inserting the key inside the keyhole while Karlie impatiently bounced behind her.

The room was rather normal. It was spacious but not too much, and it was nothing compared to the luxurious hotel rooms the girls were used to. For one night, however, they could enjoy their time by spending it like two normal American girls.

Taylor placed her suitcase beside the bed, immediately taking out her pajamas since driving had worn her out. Karlie went to the bathroom and calmly brushed her hair and teeth. When the model came back, only then she realized that there was just one bed. The chamber just had one big bed, a small coffee table in front of it and a large window that connected the room with a balcony. Nothing more and nothing less.

"It doesn't upset you that we have to share a bed, right?" Taylor inquired once noticing the uncertainty on her best friend's face. Karlie shook her head and without uttering a word, she turned her back to the singer and took off her greyish sweatshirt, unaware of the enchanted and longing stare on the other girl's face.

Taylor admired the way the muscles of her back shined and tensed under the faint light coming from the ceiling. How could she be so perfect? How could she lack so many flaws that Taylor couldn't even look away?

When the amount of exposed skin got quickly covered by Karlie's pajamas, Taylor cleared her throat, embarrassed, and quickly turned around, taking off her own sweater in order to slip into the comfort of her pajama. Karlie moved and slipped underneath the ivory sheets, sighing as soon as her body sunk between the warm blankets. "Can you turn off the lights, please?"

The singer nodded and pressed the switch that was above the bedpost, making a tense filled darkness fall upon them. Taylor herself sneaked under the sheets, dragging them upwards until they covered her chin and cheeks. The model's warmth reached her too soon, and her heart started beating almost too hard against her ribcage.

"Thank you for all of this," the model whispered after some time spent in absolute silence, turning and lying on her side, her hand squished between her cheek and the pillow. She stared at her best friend's profile, illuminated by the faint light of the moon as it filtered through the windows, and smiled when she found herself drowning in her ocean blue eyes as soon as she turned her face to look at the model.

"Thanks to you," Taylor affirmed with the same tone of voice used by the taller girl: low but sincere. Karlie smiled one last time, before shuffling closer to her best friend and draping a loose arm around her tiny waist. The singer's breath hitched and blocked within her throat, rendering her powerless underneath the model's simple yet meaningful touch. Taylor watched her fall asleep, her blue eyes trained on Karlie's fluttering closed ones. She observed and marveled at the way her best friend could look so breathtakingly beautiful even when she was just sleeping a mere centimeters away from her.

She was used to this feeling.

The heat covering and embracing her whole heart felt like a butterfly's wings caressing her from inside, making her incredibly soft and helpless. She has felt this feeling twice in her entire life, but neither of the two girls she had fallen in love with hard feelings for her as intense as hers. Neither of the two ended well, and in the end she was always left with a broken heart and its miserable pieces.

She had told herself that after Dianna, a love that had burned bright red since the very beginning, she would never fall in love again. Especially with someone that would mean the whole world to her.

But, here she was,

falling in love with Karlie and having no strings to hold her back from her inevitable downfall.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Wow, you look terrible,"

Karlie, being the wonderful friend she is, obviously noted the prominent bags under her eyes as soon as hers had opened and set their attention upon the singer.

Taylor chuckled. "Thank you. That is the nicest compliment I've ever received in my entire life,"

However, the model didn't smile at the singer's remark. She didn't even move from her sitting position. "Taylor, seriously," she said after a moment. Taylor, standing in front of the bed, looked down at Karlie, who was still under the sheets and holding herself up with her hands. "You look horrible. Did you even sleep tonight?"

The singer's lips twitched upwards into a bittersweet smile. "Yeah. Don't worry about it," she dismissed her friend's worries with her waving hand. "Come on, get up, we need to go otherwise we'll never reach Big Sur."

Their morning was spent for the most part inside their black SUV, with Taylor behind the steering wheel and Karlie beside her, choosing the music that would accompany them throughout their road trip. The first stop for their second day was Avila Beach and fortunately for the singer, there weren't many people.

"I didn't expect it to be this cold," Karlie said once getting out of the passenger seat while Taylor did the same. They walked quietly towards the shore, their hands stuffed inside their pockets as a chilly breeze caressed their pale skin.

"Don't be a baby. It's not _that_ cold," Taylor replied, pushing her friend's shoulder. The model opened her mouth, pretending to be annoyed even though her sparkling green eyes were betraying her. Taylor tried not to fall in love more with her best friend, and quickly looked away, squinting her eyes at the sun partially covered by the threatening grey clouds.

"I swear that if it rains in the next few days and it ruins our road trip, I'll kill someone," Karlie mumbled to herself.

"We'll play Scrabble if we will be stuck inside a motel," Taylor teased her, smiling.

"And lose against you for the millionth time? No, thank you,"

The singer let out a wholehearted laugh, linking her arm with Karlie's out of pure instinct. She loved the contact between them, because when the smaller blonde would want to hold her hand or intertwine their elbows, the model wouldn't question it, because it was just who she was. She was touchy, and Taylor loved that.

"We aren't even at Big Sur yet and I can tell already that this is going to be my favorite road trip ever," Taylor smiled, their walk coming to a halt when reaching the seashore. She placed her head against Karlie's shoulder, and closed her eyes as contentment filled her from inside.

"Yeah," she heard the model say softly, her chin touching Taylor's hair lightly as they stayed silent for a while.

The singer wished she could live in this moment forever.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Karlie had been right.

It had started raining as soon as they had decided to leave the hot springs, their faces flushed as they had gone back to the parking lot. A thunder had signaled the start of a storm, and once they were safely inside the car, raindrops had begun to wound the streets. The mood had been ruined, and Taylor didn't know if she should have been angry at the weather for interrupting her _let's admire our best friend in a bikini_ moment or if she should have been grateful because this meant that they could spend the rest of their evening in a motel room, possibly cuddling and talking about God knows what.

"Fuck," Karlie quietly said after a moment of silence, hitting the back of her head against the passenger seat. Taylor tilted her head to the side and watched as a frown slowly formed on her best friend's face. "I was really enjoying the hot springs,"

_Me too, even though I enjoyed looking at your stomach more._ The singer blushed at her suddenly sinful thoughts and immediately averted her eyes. "Eh, it sucks, I know. Anyway, we still had to leave soon so it's not that bad. We need to find a motel nearby now,"

Karlie nodded. "I'm tired. Do you mind if I take a nap?"

She was asleep before Taylor could say anything, and although she hadn't had the time to reply to her, the singer didn't mind at all. She loved seeing the relaxed and peaceful expression on her best friend's face. With Karlie asleep, that meant that she could let her thoughts wander everywhere with no one disturbing her.

She glanced at the model one last time, her lips slightly turning upwards and forming a loving smile as she drove through the rain and slid along the highway, the sun setting beside them. The sky was starting to melt between the color grey and light pink, making the street look like a stairway to heaven.

It was peaceful. With just the sound of her thoughts, Karlie's light snores and the rain falling on top of their car. Taylor looked at Karlie, and she loved her. Karlie mumbled unintelligible words in her sleep, and Taylor loved her. Karlie unconsciously scratched her nose and furrowed her brows, and Taylor loved her. She should feel scared, terrified even, because falling in love after what had happened with Dianna should make her want to stay away from love. But she was still here, admiring Karlie in every wrong way, because, above all, she was still her best friend. She was her best friend and could never be with her in the way she wanted her to. She could never hold her hand in public, kiss her and hug her in front of a crowd of thousands of people. But, apart from all of this, she could never risk her friendship with the taller girl. She could never bare the loss of a wonderful friend like Karlie.

In the end, it was better this way. It was better to hold back her feelings and push them in the back of her mind.

"Taylor?"

She found herself with a lump in her throat and tears stinging her eyes. "Hm?"

"There's a small and nice motel nearby,"

Karlie's voice was still thick with sleep and she hoped she wouldn't notice Taylor's terrible state. _It was a bad idea to be left alone with my thoughts._ "Yeah. Let's stop there," the singer affirmed quietly, turning left as they entered the motel's parking lot. She cleared her throat, hoping to get rid of the huge lump within it. When she looked at Karlie, she noticed her friend staring back at her with a neutral expression, although she would have noticed concern and worry if she had looked hard enough within her irises.

They didn't talk while getting inside and asking for a room. They didn't talk when stepping inside the room and they didn't talk when Taylor practically run towards the bathroom and locked herself inside. Karlie sat down on the soft ivory sheets, a frown upon her features as the last glimpse of light coming from the sun abandoned her. She stared outside the window and let her thoughts wander while her eyes set upon the sand of the beach beneath the motel. Taylor was still locked inside the bathroom, but no sounds were heard from outside, so Karlie was left with nothing but a deafening silence.

Something was wrong.

Karlie has told herself this since that afternoon, when she had noticed Taylor's distant and distracted gaze while they were relaxing at the hot springs. She looked even more distraught on their way to the motel, and the model didn't know if she should ask her if she was okay or if she should just let the singer go to sleep.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice the singer come out of the bathroom, an emptiness within her eyes that wasn't there minutes ago.

"Hey," Karlie greeted her with a gentle smile. Taylor looked up and smiled softly. Without uttering a word, she padded along the hardwood floor and made her way towards the side of the bed Karlie was sitting on, her best friend watching her every move. The singer sat down beside her, slouching her shoulders slightly before placing her head against Karlie's.

The model wrapped her arm around her waist and held her a little bit closer, Taylor's scent coming towards her like small waves of heaven. She smelled like the beach and the sea and all the most wonderful adventures on the world and _God,_ why did Karlie feel like something had fallen into place when Taylor suddenly nuzzled her nose against her neck? Why did she feel the urge to turn towards her? She knew the singer's face was probably facing her because she could feel Taylor's hot breath against the sensitive skin just below her ear. What would happen if she turned just a little bit? Will their noses graze each other? Will she drown within Taylor's eyes?

However, it was still too late.

Karlie tilted her head to the side, her forehead brushing against Taylor's as she looked down at her eyes, their faces a few centimeters away from each other. The model had never seen so many emotions flash through one person's eyes. The singer looked so vulnerable, so fragile that she just wanted to take her into her arms and never let her go.

Karlie was building the courage to lean in and close the gap between their lips and kiss her -- _Wait._ Kiss her? Was Karlie really going to kiss her best friend? Taylor didn't give her the time to think, because then she was leaning in, slowly, tentatively.

But then,

it rang.

The singer's phone illuminated while sitting on the nightstand, and both of them were suddenly brought back to reality. Taylor reached for it while Karlie took a deep breath in order to steady her racing heartbeat.

"It's just a notification," Taylor said after a while.

"I'm probably going to the bathroom to change and brush my teeth," Karlie said at the same time. They exchanged an awkward laugh and then the singer turned back to stare at her iPhone while the model hesitantly got up and went inside the bathroom.

For the rest of their night, neither of the two acknowledged the little action that could have led them to one of the most beautiful kiss of their lives.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Karlie woke up to the sound of rustling sheets and soft moans.

If it hadn't been for Taylor's distressed face and pouting lips, she would have thought that the singer was having a very _inappropriate_ dream at the moment, but the sweat lining her forehead and her tear stained cheeks told her the opposite. She was having a _nightmare._ Which was surprising for the model, actually.

She sat against the headboard, the moon hanging high in the sky and filtering through the closed windows of their motel room. However, it was rather dark but Karlie could still see Taylor's heaving chest, rising and falling rapidly. She was lying on her back, her face turned towards the nightstand so Karlie couldn't see her face anymore. Her breath was shallow and fleet and the model sat there for a moment, quietly contemplating whether she should wake her up or let her fight her dream on her own.

"Taylor," she whispered, lightly shaking her shoulder, but the singer still didn't wake up.

She mumbled unintelligible words in her sleep, and Karlie's heart hurt a little at her distressed state. She shook her body once again, something that resembled a, "No, please," getting out of the singer's parted lips.

"Taylor, _baby,_ wake up," Karlie said with a higher tone of voice.

Taylor flinched at her touch, sitting straight on top of the bed as she exclaimed in a teary voice, "Stay!"

The model was taken aback by her statement, but decided to put her curiosity at the back of her mind and turned on the small lamp on her nightstand. A faint ochre light illuminated both of their bodies, as Karlie's concerned face stared at Taylor's pained one.

"You okay?" Karlie asked quietly, placing a gentle hand on her forearm. She was sweaty and the model could almost hear the singer's racing heartbeat echo throughout their motel room. Their eyes finally met and Taylor's were holding the most painful and stormy ocean. Without uttering a word, the singer broke down in tears and flung herself in Karlie's arms. She wept silently, the model lightly stroking her messy short blonde hair as she held her tightly against her chest. Taylor's hot tears landed upon the taller girl's neck, each tear feeling like it were knives piercing Karlie's heart. "You're okay. Everything's okay now," the model whispered against the crown of her head. She tentatively kissed her hair, feeling Taylor's body relax under her caresses and touch. When the singer calmed herself down and it was just the silence surrounding them, Taylor slowly pulled away and looked up at Karlie's warm green eyes.

In the middle of a storm, Karlie was the peace she had been longing for all this time.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Taylor shook her head briefly.

"It's okay. You don't need to tell me what your dream was about. Just know that it wasn't real and it's never going to happen, okay? You're alright, I got you,"

Karlie stroked her cheeks and wiped her tears away, lightly kissing her forehead.

"Karlie?"

Taylor's voice was hoarse and thick and Karlie wished she didn't find it so incredibly beautiful and sexy. "Yes?"

"Can you..." she hesitated. "Can you hold me, please?"

The model grinned at her request, and silently accepted her offer. She pulled Taylor's body closer, pressing the singer's back against her front. She held her tightly, her hands intertwining with her best friend's.

"Thank you,"

It was the last thing Karlie heard from Taylor before they both fell into a deep slumber.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Third day of their road trip and Taylor still didn't know how to drive without admiring Karlie from the driver seat. The model's beauty was distracting, it was one of a kind and half of the time the singer wanted to reach out and pass her fingers through her short brunette tresses. Her feelings for Karlie were growing, but she was slowly accepting them, embracing them. It was still scary, because she knew that at some point, this unrequited love would reach a point of no return, and she just hoped that she could live with them without jeopardizing their friendship.

"I rented a cabin this morning, when you were still asleep," Karlie said after some moments of silence. "Since we're not far from Big Sur, this afternoon we can just go to this really nice bakery and do nothing for the whole day, just enjoy each other's company. Then, tomorrow, since it's our last full day, we can go visit Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park,"

Taylor briefly glanced at her, blue eyes sparkling with endless love and admiration. "Yeah, sure," she replied with a smile.

"I just thought..." the model fiddled with her hands. "After last night, I wanted to do something nice for you. And renting a cozy cabin that is literally in the middle of the woods seemed like a good idea to me,"

Taylor chuckled softly. "Thank you, really. I'm sure I will love it," the singer replied.

They reached the Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant, parking a few feet away from the entrance. Once inside, they sat at a table on the right corner of the bakery, having a large window beside them since they were sitting across each other. The girls looked over their menus, ordering something as simple as two brioche and two cappuccinos.

Finally alone, Karlie gazed at the empty seats around them before asking, "So, how are you?"

Taylor looked taken aback by her statement. "I'm...good?" she replied with a confused and hesitant smile.

Karlie chuckled. "You know what I mean," she smiled, looking out the window. The singer played with her fingers, staring at the _Genius_ sweater that the model was currently wearing. It was the singer's, but she believed that it suited the model more.

"You don't have to worry about me," the blonde said nervously, glancing back and forth from Karlie's warm green eyes and her own hands.

"I'm your best friend," the model said firmly. "Of course I worry about you." they sat quietly, a faint blush forming on Taylor's cheeks as Karlie continued. "It seemed like a pretty intense nightmare last night. You were...sweating and moaning and I just worry about you. It doesn't mean I _have_ to know what the dream was about, but I just want to make sure you're doing _okay,_ "

Taylor's smile quickly vanished and turned into a tiny frown. Nobody has ever cared about her like this. Nobody has ever insisted on something as simple as a nightmare. But Karlie wasn't like the others. She was different, she was unique. Everything _about_ her was simply unique. Wasn't this enough for the singer?

"It was a dream about..." she hesitated, and with the corner of her eyes saw Karlie nodding encouragingly. "About my ex."

There was a pause in their conversation, as the model absorbed the information before she quietly asked, "Dianna?"

Now _this_ caught her off guard. Taylor gaped at her, saying, "How do you know about her?"

Karlie sighed and looked away, ashamed. "Before we met, I was really curious about you, so I asked Lily and, you know, she told me a little about your past experiences and relationships you had," she replied, her voice getting quiet near the end of her explanation. The singer wasn't mad; she just felt vulnerable and terribly exposed. "I'm sorry,"

"Don't be," the blonde said, a light sigh escaping from her lips. "I've been a terrible friend. I mean, we met four months ago and I didn't even tell you about my relationships,"

"You're not a terrible friend. Don't do that to yourself," Karlie interrupted her by placing her hand over the singer's. "You just kept that to yourself because it probably still hurts to talk about it. I understand,"

"Dianna cheated on me," Taylor said, not meeting her best friend's gaze. "Multiple times and I...it's not that I'm not over her yet, but what she did...it hurts. It made me feel really shitty and lowered my self-esteem," she laughed, but there was no humor there.

"I'm sorry," Karlie repeated. "Thank you for telling me," she smiled, squeezing her hand three times. "It means a lot to me,"

The singer met her eyes, and she saw nothing but understanding and love in them. She wanted to reach out and touch her face gently, hold it between her hands and kiss her as if nobody was watching. But she couldn't do that. Not here, at least.

Throughout their evening, they talked about everything and nothing, never running out of topics to talk about, and when it was time to leave and head to their cabin, Taylor felt herself getting nervous. Perhaps it was the knowledge that Karlie knew about Dianna, and that she has been with _one_ woman before, and Karlie didn't react in any way. If anything, she had been supportive and understanding, and something inside Taylor (maybe her optimistic side) told her that perhaps her love wasn't all that unrequited.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The cabin was nice. It was cozy, not too big, and incredibly _romantic._ It had only one bedroom connected to a bathroom, and again there was only one bed (not that she was complaining. On the contrary, she loved spending nights with Karlie by her side. But it didn't help at all with her growing feelings for the model.). The lights that illuminated the room were faint and set a warm vibe as soon as they turned them on.

They placed their bags beside the bed and Karlie landed on top of the covers. "I'm so tired," she mumbled, her voice muffled because of the blankets. Taylor laughed behind her, going to the bathroom to briefly wash her flushed face. They had drunken a few glasses of wine at the restaurant, and the singer hated to admit that she was a lightweight and therefore was lightly tipsy.

"What are we going to do since it isn't even midnight?" Karlie asked once Taylor emerged from the bathroom.

"Um, I don't know," the singer laughed. "Want to play Scrabble with me?"

The model groaned against the sheets before turning and lying on her back, staring at her best friend with thoughtful green eyes and a small frown on her lips. Taylor stood in front of her, a gentle and adoring smile lighting up her features. All of a sudden, Karlie grabbed her wrists and pulled forward, making the blonde singer stumble on top of the ivory covers. They laughed at each other's clumsiness, lying on their sides while gazing at each other's giggling faces.

"You're so dumb," the singer chuckled, a disbelieving look gracing her soft features. The model kept on laughing, her eyes closing and her lips stretching into a wide grin. Taylor watched with eyes that resembled hearts, her own heart beating rapidly against her ribcage as the reality of the situation settled in. It was perfect: their position, the mood, the place. They were happy, but an unexpected urge to close the gap made Taylor shiver. She wanted to _kiss_ her. She wanted to feel her best friend's breath against her face. She wanted to be breathless, she wanted a kiss that would consume her entire body. And Karlie, she looked _so_ fucking beautiful at the moment. With her sweet smile and sparkling green eyes. And Taylor wanted to kiss her. She really wanted to.

"Karlie?"

"Yeah?"

The model was still giggling by her side, but became more serious when hearing Taylor's voice. "I have to tell you something," she whispered, inching closer to her best friend. Karlie didn't seem to notice.

"What is it?"

Taylor stayed silent, staring at the depths of her irises thoughtfully. "I..." she hesitated, placing her hand between their flushed faces. _Do I tell her that I love her?_ "I love you."

Karlie giggled. "I know,"

She knew that the model wouldn't understand the true meaning to her confession, so with determination she said, "No, Karlie. I _love_ you,"

Her best friend chuckled until her expression turned blank. Her green eyes were unreadable. "You _d_ o?" she asked in a faint whisper.

Taylor's eyes unwillingly fell upon her thin and inviting lips. "I _do,_ " she replied with a hopeful smile. Time stopped and the singer didn't regret her decision yet. She wanted to be honest with her best friend, and perhaps the little amount of alcohol flowing through her veins had helped her get the three words out of her chest. And then, knowing that the truth was out there and there was no turning back, she slowly leaned in. Her hesitant lips parted slightly, the hand between their bodies trailing up Karlie's arm and cupping her bicep gently. Her best friend didn't back away, and that was a good sign, _right?_

When their lips brushed, Taylor closed her eyes and finally overlapped their mouths in their first kiss. It was shy, timid, and filled with uncertainty, because Karlie still hadn't said those words back to her. She was basically walking on a pitch black and unknown path, but she was feeling reckless. She was feeling brave, fearless, and decided to deepen the kiss when having no rejection from the other girl.

Their noses bumped when the singer slightly brought her head forward, Karlie's harsh intake of air fanning the singer's blushing cheeks. Taylor took control of the situation, kissing her slowly but deeply, their tongues briefly touching. She felt her best friend's hand cup her cheek, bringing her a little more closer while they kissed under the soft glow coming from the ceiling. The sounds of their heavy breath and colliding lips filled the silence while the waves of the beach outside crashed against the rocks.

Karlie let out an almost inaudible moan when Taylor nipped at her bottom lip, biting it gently before soothing it with her tongue.

When both of them were out of breath, they pulled away, breaking their kiss. They stared at each other for a long time, before the singer whispered, "I'm scared,"

The model stroked her cheek gently, pecking her nose. "You don't have to be,"

"I know," Taylor replied. "But I still am,"

"There's nothing to be afraid of. I'm still your best friend," Karlie affirmed. The slow sound of her heartbeat calmed Taylor down, somehow.

"I just, I've never felt such strong feelings for someone," Taylor admitted quietly, and Karlie circled her waist with her long arms. The singer felt protected. "I know you're not Dianna, but I'm still scared you're going to leave me when you will realize how big of a mistake you've made by choosing to date me."

Karlie brought her closer, their fronts touching. "I'm not going anywhere. Whatever happens, I'll be there. I don't care about what others think or what the media thinks," the model assured her. And then, quietly, she admitted, "I love you, Taylor."

The singer's eyes widened. _She loves me?_ "You do?"

Karlie chuckled. She kissed her, hoping to translate her love through the movement of her lips. "I do,"

Taylor giggled against her mouth. "I love you, too,"

"No matter what will happen, I will still be your best friend," Karlie breathed, kissing her forehead softly. That same night, while holding her tightly in her arms, the model reminded her of that once again, calling the singer her best friend in the middle of the night before drifting off to sleep once again.

And Taylor believed her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park was huge. And amazing. And incredibly nice. They had walked through the woods for the entire morning, their hands linked and their fingers intertwined. Waking up beside Karlie was incredible, but having the privilege of waking up beside her and _then_ kissing her good morning was a step above incredible. Their relationship had changed overnight, and Taylor knew that as soon as Karlie accidentally referred to her as her _girlfriend._ The singer didn't mind at all, and a happy smile had been dancing on her lips since that moment.

"What are you thinking about?" Karlie asked once they reached the seashore.

"You," Taylor admitted quietly. The singer moved their locked hands back and forth, giggling when Karlie attempted to stop her.

"You're a child trapped in an adult's body," the model laughed, pulling her closer. Karlie kissed her forehead discretely, wrapping an arm around her waist. They walked along the sea, the water touching their bare feet from time to time. It had been a good trip. An experience the singer wished could last longer, but today was their last day together, before Karlie had to leave for New York, and Taylor would stay in Los Angeles, patiently waiting for their next outing together. Being able to be this way with Karlie had been the best thing about the last days they've spent together, and she was delighted. She had been brave and fearless at the perfect moment, and she wondered, what would have happened if she hadn't told Karlie she loved her as more than a best friend? What would their last day be like?

"Taylor?"

"Yeah?"

"This has been really nice," Karlie blushed, stopping their walk and turning towards the singer so she could grab both of her hands. She held onto her tightly. "I know I keep saying this, but it _really_ is nice, Taylor. You're amazing, and I just—," she quietly chuckled. "I love you. I'm glad we did this, and I'm sad that these are the last hours of our road trip."

Taylor wanted to kiss her. She _terribly_ wanted to kiss her. But she couldn't, therefore she held back. "I love you, too. And I feel the exact same way," she replied.

Karlie smiled lightly, before suddenly jumping around and looking at their surroundings. She picked up a small stick, glancing back at Taylor with a smug grin and an amusing glint in her eyes.

"What are you doing?" the singer asked her, stepping to the side when Karlie bended down and started dragging the stick along the sand. She watched the model write their names, drawing a neat and romantic heart in between them. Taylor couldn't help but pull her lips back in a wide smile, capturing the moment with her smartphone. When the model was satisfied with her work, she looked down at her cursive words before turning towards Taylor. The singer had watery eyes, and Karlie reached out to her, grabbing her by the waist before pulling her into a hug. The blonde woman held her shoulder blades, snuggling close to her when a particular cold breeze brushed against them. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Karlie whispered.

When they pulled apart, and resumed their walk, they held hands, not paying attention to their surroundings because the human being standing next to them was way more interesting than the elephant seals behind the fences. Taylor pulled away from her before kneeling to the floor. When she stood up and faced her girlfriend, she shyly handed a small, yellow daisy to the model, who almost took it from her but hesitated. "Wait," she said. "Put it in my hair," she suggested.

The singer did just that, tucking the flower between Karlie's ear and a lock of brunette hair. Karlie pecked her cheek, a soft giggle escaping their lips as they finished their stroll. They took pictures, Taylor insisting that she wanted to have a photo with only Karlie and the yellow daisy, saying that she needed to frame this moment. When they went back to the car, the two of them watched the sun set and hide underneath the ocean, a newfound future floating in the air as they let the singer's bodyguards drive them back to Taylor's place.

On the way home, Karlie fell asleep with her head on Taylor's shoulder, and there, sitting in the comfortable silence of the vehicle, she knew exactly what she was feeling.

It was the feeling of being in love.  


End file.
